Firearm muzzle brake

Abstract

Provided herein are muzzle brakes, firearms, and methods for manufacturing the same. A muzzle brake for attachment to a muzzle end of a firearm includes a body defining a first end that engages a muzzle end of the firearm, a second end opposite the first end, and an axis extending therebetween. The body further defines one or more openings intersecting the axis to form a channel extending between the first end and the second end along the axis. The body further defines a first port extending from the channel to an exterior surface of the body and a second port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body between the first port and the second end. In operation, the first port directs gas from the channel to an external environment of the muzzle brake that disrupts gas directed by the second port from the channel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A muzzle brake configured to attach to a muzzle end of a firearm, the muzzle brake comprising:
 a body defining:
 a first end; 
 a second end opposite the first end, wherein the muzzle brake is configured to engage the muzzle end of the firearm at or proximate the first end, the first end and the second end defining an axis extending therebetween; 
 one or more openings intersecting the axis to form a channel extending between the first end and the second end along the axis, wherein the channel is configured to receive a projectile from the firearm propelled therethrough by gas from a barrel of the firearm; 
 a first port extending from the channel to an exterior surface of the body; 
 a second port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body, wherein the second port is disposed between the first port and the second end, 
 wherein, in operation, the first port is configured to direct a first portion of the gas from the channel to an external environment of the muzzle brake that at least partially disrupts a second portion of the gas directed by the second port from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake, and 
 wherein a first angle at which the first portion of the gas exits the first port with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end is closer to perpendicular to the axis than a second angle at which the second portion of the gas exits the second port with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle at which the first portion of the gas exits the first port with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end is greater than the angle at which the second portion of the gas exits the second port with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end. 
     
     
       3. The muzzle brake according to  claim 2 , wherein the angle at which the first portion of the gas exits the first port is substantially perpendicular with respect to the axis. 
     
     
       4. The muzzle brake according to  claim 2 , wherein the angle at which the first portion of the gas exits the first port with respect to the axis is greater than approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
       5. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , wherein the external surface of the body defines an at least partially cylindrical shape. 
     
     
       6. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first port at the exterior surface of the muzzle brake is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the second port at the exterior surface of the muzzle brake. 
     
     
       7. The muzzle brake according to  claim 6 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first port and the second port at the exterior surface define a respective width measured in a circumferential direction perpendicular to the axis and a respective length measured in a longitudinal and axial direction parallel to the axis, wherein the length of the first port is less than the length of the second port. 
     
     
       8. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third port defined between the second port and the second end, the third port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body, wherein the first port is further configured to direct the first portion of the gas from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake so as to at least partially disrupt a third portion of the gas directed by the third port from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake. 
     
     
       9. The muzzle brake according to  claim 8 , wherein an angle at which the second portion of the gas exits the second port with respect to the axis is substantially the same as an angle at which the third portion of the gas exits the third port with respect to the axis. 
     
     
       10. The muzzle brake according to  claim 8 , wherein an angle at which the second portion of the gas exits the second port with respect to the axis differs from an angle at which the third portion of the gas exits the third port with respect to the axis. 
     
     
       11. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , wherein the first port and the second port form a first set of ports, the muzzle brake further comprising a second set of ports comprising:
 a fourth port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body, the fourth port axially aligned with the first port on an opposing side of an exterior surface of the muzzle brake; and 
 a fifth port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body, the fifth port axially aligned with the second port on an opposing side of the exterior surface of the muzzle brake. 
 
     
     
       12. The muzzle brake according to  claim 11 , wherein the fourth port is configured to direct a fourth portion of the gas from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake that at least partially disrupts a fifth portion of the gas directed by the fifth port from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake. 
     
     
       13. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , wherein the first port and the second port form a first set of ports, the muzzle brake further comprising:
 a second set of ports comprising:
 a fourth port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body; and 
 a fifth port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body; and 
 
 a third set of ports comprising:
 a sixth port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body; and 
 a seventh port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The muzzle brake according to  claim 13 , wherein the fourth port is configured to direct a fourth portion of the gas from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake that at least partially disrupts a fifth portion of the gas directed by the fifth port from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake, and the sixth port is configured to direct a sixth portion of the gas from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake that at least partially disrupts a seventh portion of the gas directed by the seventh port from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake. 
     
     
       15. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a surface of the first port defines an angle with respect to the axis that is greater than an angle with respect to the axis defined by at least a portion of a surface of the second port. 
     
     
       16. The muzzle brake according to  claim 1 , further comprising a distal surface of the first port from the first end defining a first angle with respect to the axis and a distal surface of the second port from the first end defining a second angle with respect to the axis, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle. 
     
     
       17. The muzzle brake according to  claim 16 , wherein the first angle is less than approximately 90 degrees with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end. 
     
     
       18. A firearm comprising:
 a barrel assembly comprising:
 a barrel comprising an inner surface defining a bore configured to guide a projectile as the projectile is propelled by pressurized gas, the barrel defining:
 a muzzle end; and 
 a chamber end opposite the muzzle end; and 
 
 
 the muzzle brake according to  claim 1  attached to the barrel at the muzzle end. 
 
     
     
       19. A method of manufacturing at least a portion of a firearm muzzle brake, the method comprising:
 providing a body defining:
 a first end; 
 a second end opposite the first end; 
 
 removing material from the body to define one or more openings intersecting the axis to form a channel extending between the first end and the second end along the axis, wherein the channel is configured to receive a projectile from the firearm propelled therethrough by gas from a barrel of the firearm; 
 removing material from the body to define a first port extending from the channel to an exterior surface of the body; 
 removing material from the body between the first port and the second end to define a second port extending from the channel to the exterior surface of the body,
 wherein, in operation, the first port is configured to direct a first portion of the gas from the channel to an external environment of the muzzle brake that at least partially disrupts a second portion of the gas directed by the second port from the channel to the external environment of the muzzle brake, 
 wherein muzzle brake is configured to engage the muzzle end of the firearm at or proximate the first end, the first end and the second end defining an axis extending therebetween, and 
 wherein a first angle at which the first portion of the gas exits the first port with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end is closer to perpendicular to the axis than a second angle at which the second portion of the gas exits the second port with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising removing material from the body with a milling machine cutting at the first angle relative the axis of the body to define the first port, and
 removing material from the body with the milling machine cutting at the second angle relative the axis of the body to define the second port, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle with respect to the axis and measured relative to the first end.